A brave man never surrenders
by Bleedthegreyskyblack
Summary: Starts after the choosing ceremony and follows the story line, until Four does ONE thing differently...But really, how much could one action change? - Tris/Eric - Rated T for Teen the first few chapters, but will increase to M (SC) later on. ** I Don't own Divergent**
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I am not Veronica Roth. I did not write the Divergent Triology, or Four's short stories/Four: A Divergent Collection. I don't own them, just a copy of her wonderful works. This is not for profit…yatta yatta yatta. I do borrow her characters, a few quotes here or there to make it compliant with the beginning of the story, and to make my 'ship more believable. (Blanket disclosure for all chapters of this story.)

Chapter One:

Eric stood on the roof, bored and pissed at the same time. When he stated that the last round of initiates weren't up to par he didn't expect Max to put him in charge of this batch of initiates. But, that was just the tip of the iceberg of his crappy assignment.

"Just think, the closer you are to Four, the more you have a chance to show him the light." Max said as he grasped his shoulder in farewell.

'Four. Pft. He chose his lousy job.' He thought after they chose their jobs he'd be done being compared with Four, especially since they worked in such different fields. He finally thought that he would be free. Max just had to be "nice" and try to bring him into the circle. He knew what would happen if Four finally said yes. Max would have a new pet. Then Eric could kiss any advancement in the leader's circle goodbye. His vote would count for nothing if it went against what Four thought was best.

Before Eric could dwell any further, the initiates began jumping onto the rooftop. He could immediately see which were Dauntless-born and which ones were transfers, regardless of the clothes they wore. That was until one Dauntless-born didn't clear the jump.

'Huh. I thought it'd be a transfer that fell.' He thought callously as he began to chuckle at the transfers rolling in the gravel after their sloppy jumps.

"Transfer from Amity didn't jump." Roni said before she took a spot next to one of Max's aides.

"Two down." I said to Max as I take a spot next to him.

"Ooh. Scandalous! A stiff's flashing skin!" Eric hears from one of the initiates. He turns his head and sees a she-stiff in the crowd.

He shakes his head and says, "Should I say three down?" indicating the she-stiff to Max.

"I wouldn't count my bullseyes until all my rounds are fired." Max disagreed. "A stiff has to have balls of steels to make this switch." He then stepped upon the ledge and began his welcoming speech.

While Max tells them about the jump, and they ask their useless questions, Eric watches the she-stiff's reaction. She barely reacted compared to the rest. For some reason he feels determined to break her and show her who her better is. His thoughts then move subconsciously to Four, who was waiting at the bottom of the drop. That is, until the she-stiff moves towards the ledge first. She barely even hesitated before she threw herself over. As she fell, silently, Eric's anger increased. 'Who does she think she is?' Eric thinks, but a small part of him wants to disagree and nod his head in approval.

By the time dinner rolls around, Eric was just ready for a fight. All the emotions that Eric normally pushes down were surging to the surface. So, when somebody pushed him sideways as they passed, he didn't hesitate to raise his voice, "Watch where you are going," as he quickened his step to grab the offender's arm.

"Apologize. You have thirty seconds." Eric sneers.

The tattooed teenager, from the last initiate group, flapped his lips like a fish in sheer shock of who he was being addressed by.

"Time's up." Eric stated before his punch hit squarely on the right side of his jaw. The teen dropped, but his buddies were quick to step in.

Eric's blood rushed and his adrenaline soared. Every kick, punch, knee, and elbow satisfied all his built up tension and set him free like nothing else could. When he was the last one standing, he felt raw, invigorated, and in control. He stepped on and over them and continued his way to the cafeteria.

Yet, his breath left him temporarily as he saw Four talking to the she-stiff. Just watching them interact, and his telltale sign of struggling to keep his smile hidden, gave him an odd feeling, but one that seemed to follow Four around-jealously. Who did he think he was? But, she wasn't his girlfriend. Hell, he didn't even know her name. On that note, he made a bee-line towards their table and took the seat next to Four.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce me?" Eric asks bluntly indicating with his head towards the she-stiff.

"This is Tris and Christina." He replied going back to his food.

"Ooh, a stiff," he smirks at her. 'Tris.' He thinks. 'Tris.' The she-stiff eyes his piercings like she's scared. Yet, she eyed Four curiously. Anger bubbles to the surface. "We'll see how long you last."

Eric taps his fingers on the table in thought of how she won't look at him now. 'Real good.' He thought sarcastically.

After a moment Eric turns his attention to Four and sets about what Max requested-recruiting, but they can both tell it's a half-ass attempt. It did however, make it seem like he did have a real purpose from coming the opposite way he normally ate.

When he departed, Eric felt his spirits lift. He could tell he got under Four's skin, and that he took it out on his next remark to Tris. 'Now that's good.' He laughed as he walked back to his usual seat.

After dinner, Eric led the transfers to their bunk rooms. Without much coercion, the initiates follow him silently through the pit, up some steps, and a few cavern-like hallways. Once he arrives, he stops just outside the door. "For those of you who don't know, my name is Eric. I am one of the five leaders of Dauntless. We take the initiation process very seriously here, so I volunteered to oversee most of your training." He states. 'Yeah, mandatory volunteering,' he thought as he eyed each one of the initiates, saving Tris for last.

After stating the ground rules, he then explained the rankings. Eric was angry with the expressions of outrage and fear, so he turned his attention to Tris, who seemed to steel herself in resolved. Determined. Fearless. The second act of Dauntless he saw in her today, while none in the rest of the transfers.

His thoughts battled back and forth as he walked back to his apartment between wanting to strangle Tris, and wanting to respect and admire her.

'Tris.' Eric thought as he fell on top of his bed fully dressed and exhaling loudly. "It doesn't matter." He sighed sitting up and rubbing his eyes. His mind kept showing him her scared expression of him. Yet, when he looked at her, without her noticing, she looked like a warrior, until she opened her mouth. Her Abnegation shone through, but with a bit of spunk around the edges. But, it was from her conversation with Four that he now remembered. And her teasing smile was stuck like a record in his mind. A smile that wasn't meant for him. Stolen.

After going through the day one more time, Eric's resolve strengthened. The Euridite in him would strategize, because the Dauntless in him wouldn't back down or lose to Four; not his position, not with Max, and now, not with Tris.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

The first day of training for the transfer initiates included shooting in the morning and learning fighting techniques. However, Eric was not to be found with the transfers. His thoughts constantly kept going back to Tris, and he was determined to take control of his mind. He spent the day with the Dauntless-born, who were running the schedule in reverse, fighting in the morning, and shooting in the afternoon. Afterwards, he then had to meet up with Max.

"How do the recruits look?" Max inquired.

"The Dauntless-born don't seem too far ahead skill wise compared to the transfers. We'll find out tomorrow once they hit the mats." Eric responded

"Just the preliminaries. A lot can happen in the next month." Max countered dismissively. "Any suspects in mind yet?"

"Too early to tell. A lot can be revealed in a month. I don't think I'll get any real hits until we run through the simulations in Round 2." He said shrugging his shoulders as he swirled his drink around the glass.

"Any luck on Four?" he said straightening up.

"No. How long am I to keep hounding him?" Eric said attempting to be nonchalant.

"You're not getting jealous are you, Eric." Max inquired with could only be classified as a, "shit eating grin."

"I have no reason to be. I'm here now, aren't I?" Eric said casually.

"There's an old saying from before the war I think you'd do well to remember." Max started and waited for Eric to make eye contact. "'Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer,' _The Art of War_."

Eric nodded his head in agreement, but was shaking his head in distain on the inside. 'It's from a movie!' he remembered watching the Godfather part Ii during his later studies involving the history of the city. It was one of ten or so films to remain unmarred from destruction of the war. It was a learning tool that was supposed to instill how brutal, violent, cruel, and selfish people were before the factions were created, and how they better off society was as a result. 'Well…it was better than _Little Mermaid_.' Eric thought as his thoughts got side tracked by exhaustion.

Eric didn't get as much sleep as he wanted, because the next morning he was meeting Four in the trainer's room to setup the fighting partners and lineups. They sat there tired, and nursing cups of coffee, as they had the files of all initiates spread across the table. They started arranging the Dauntless-born and then moved onto the transfers.

"Which girl gave you lip?" Eric asked, referring to the notes from Roni.

"Christina." Four answered as he tossed her file across the desk to him.

"Ah! Here!" Eric laughed a few moments later. He handed him Christina's file back with Molly's on top of it. "That should shut her up for a bit! Any friendships pop up?"

"Too early to tell between the factions. There is a bunch of Candors. A few don't get along, but I haven't seen Peter, Molly, or Drew too far apart yet." Four answered truthfully.

"Who's left?" Eric asked about half an hour later.

"Tris.' Four stated devoid of any emotion.

"First jumper.' Eric said. "That works out well. A day off for bravery. She'll have to be first next time though. Let's see if her jump was strength of character, or sheer stupidity."

When Four and Eric met up again it was after breakfast and fight areas were being set up by volunteers.

Eric's patience was being tested too early. 'Watch Tris! Pay attention!' Eric thought. His ire increased at her floundering away a great opportunity without even knowing it.

When the first pair, Al and Will, weren't putting it all out there, he decided to vent his frustration, and make them all work harder. They didn't need any pansycakes in Dauntless. He couldn't afford any weaknesses under his regime. Unexpectedly, his thoughts then strayed again towards Tris. If he wanted her by his side, then he damn well had to make sure she deserved to be there and could carry her own.

"According to Dauntless rules one of you could also concede." Four said.

'Why the hell did you open your mouth?' Eric thought.

When Eric opened his mouth to speak with narrowed eyes a cold even voice, "According to the old rules. The new rules, no one concedes."

"A brave man acknowledges the strength of others." Four argued.

"A brave man never surrenders." Eric countered, but continued silently in his thoughts, 'Not with my position, not with Max, and not with Tris.'

They stared off for a few seconds longer until Four looked away.

'Victory!' Eric yelled in his mind before he turned his sight back to Will and Al. When they picked back up he noticed Tris watching. Hopefully, she is picking up some techniques, form, stance, fighting style, or their weaknesses.

After Will was helped to the infirmary, Eric called the next pair to the spotlight of attention. After watching a few seconds his head started to pulse. 'Not Worthy! They knew what they signed up for! We're protectors of the city! Its warriors! It's muscle!' His mind screamed as Christina conceded. He knew in this instance that he would have to be drastic to prove his point.

After yanking her to her feet he dragged her with the rest of the group following to the walkway to the pit. He made her climb over the railing. Lifting wouldn't work. She had to face the fear of this herself. She had to earn her spot, and her privilege to be there. Besides, he would never aide in a punishment, or lesson that needed to be learned. And to Eric, she was out of control. If her behavior and outspokenness was left unchecked then it would be cancerous to the rest of the initiates, and later by Dauntless members, if she made it in that is. She needed to be humbled and appreciative of her life, this fraction for her opportunity, and her role in it.

Eric demanded Christina to lower herself on the grated floor and hang over the sides for five minutes. She could either make it and continue initiation, drop and die, or concede and leave the compound to a fractionless future. While she hung, his attention was predominately on the group. Al cheered her on. Tris, who sat next to her at all meals, kept her mouth shut, but make no mistake was thinking hard about something.

'What did you just learn about yourself?' Eric pondered.

"One minute left." He heard Tris say so quietly that it barely reached his ears over the sound of the water. She continued talking encouraging and urging Christina with Al.

When they told Eric time was up he waited another thirty seconds. 'Initiates do not tell me to do shit. Period. If they cost Christina her life, then they should have kept their mouths shut in the first place.

"Fine. You can come up now Christina." He said. "No, she has to do it on her own." He stated as Al ran towards her. Regardless of his –words, Al did it anyway.

'That'll cost him serious points.' Eric thought as he walked back to the training room through an automatic parting of the initiates.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

Eric woke the next morning stressed. His meeting with Max and one of the leaders didn't go as well as he hoped. It didn't help the bitch from Erudite was there on her "Divergent Quest," as Max called it. 'Really, what is the big fucking deal?' Eric thought as he prepared for the day.

Four was completely testy when Eric arrived, and it didn't help Eric's mood one bit.

"So, who's first jumper going to fight today?" Eric asked as he sat at the table in the trainer's office.

"She's on par with Christina or Myra, I think." Four said as he tossed Tris' file his way.

He opened it and saw four photos inside. Eric immediately noticed that the fifth was missing. And, the only other person who has accessed this was currently in the room. 'So Four likes the she-stiff that much, does he?' Eric thought. A girl suited for Four would fight Myra, but a girl for him would fight, "Peter." Eric stated confidently.

Four was so shocked by his words that he didn't notice Eric sneaking his own photo of Tris out of the folder, under the table, and then up his shirt to be tucked into his boxers. When he finally recovered, "Are you fucking out of your mind! IS this one weird demented payback for a stiff beating you?" Four exclaimed standing and slamming his hands on the table between them.

"I think you are underestimating the she-stiff. I'd go so far as to wager." Eric said with an eyebrow raised at Four's level of dishevel.

"What?" Four said evenly.

"I bet she won't concede." Eric stated confidently.

Four didn't even respond, but merely walked out.

"I guess you're not in." Eric said to the empty room. He stood up and followed Four to the training room to prepare before the initiates began to arrive.

Eric began the fighting board and assigned partners. He saw yesterday how upset Tris was with Molly for Christina. Pure abnegation selflessness. So…to open her up other qualities, he paired Molly with Edward. He wanted to see her happy with someone getting crushed and overpowered. If that didn't get her out of her comfort zone, then she probably never would. After the fight with Molly, he scheduled Tris with Peter, it would do her no good to be knocked unconscious and not to be able to see his gift for her after all. It also would show her what she's in for. Fear. Dread. Pain. Fighting a losing a fight. A test to see if Tris would rise to Eric's expectations: the ability to push herself to the limits of internal pressure and see how she reacts. Mostly, Eric hoped she was smart enough to watch Molly, and see how she fared. What did she succeed on? Where was her weaknesses when fighting a larger opponent? What moves could she have made differently? And etcetera, to strategize for her fight. Tris had to succeed. For herself. And, for him.

Eric barely watched Molly getting pummeled by Edward. His gaze kept going past the fight to Tris on the other side trying to pay attention to her friends, or as he thought, 'Distractions.' His ire rose because he offered her a way to prepare, as much as he could, and she squandered her opportunity. As a result, Eric's left foot began tapping.

After Molly was assisted to the infirmary, it was time for Tris to finally take her turn. She looked as scared as she possibly could. One could compare it to a cow going to the slaughterhouse, but her face also showed resolved and she willingly walked to her fate without being told.

Tris fell for Peter's baiting at first, but then a hardened look appeared on her face. While she was no match for Peter physically, or in technique, she barely cried out as she was pummeled into unconsciousness, all without conceding.

"Enough!" Eric hollered out. He didn't know when Four walked out, but he didn't care. His warrior came first. Eric threw Tris over his shoulder in one swift motion, and called, "Hit the bags until I return!"

Eric smiled the whole way to the infirmary. To him, it didn't matter she lost the fight. In his mind, she won the battle. She fought an unwinnable fight to the end without complaint and fought her fear away with such determination as to make him sure about his opinions about her. She was more dauntless than Peter will ever be.

'He'll definitely lose points for lowering himself to childish antics.' Eric thought as he entered the infirmary. After talking to the nurse, he turned to leave but, not before he paused once at the door and looked back. 'I'm proud of you stiff.' Eric thought before he opened the door to return to the training room to finish off the day.

Once the day was done for the initiates Four cornered Eric. "What the hell was that earlier?"

"What are you on about?" Eric asked agitated. Once Tris was out for the day, it seemed never ending.

"Tris." He answered tersely.

Eric's face lit up in a smile, one that most people would call evil. "She did great, didn't she? With a little training and more muscle mass I think she could out do all of our other initiates."

Four must of taken that as sarcasm, because he just stormed off leaving Eric shaking his head behind him.

'I complimented her and I still look like an asshole. There's no winning with him.' Eric thought with a laugh.

Eric bid his time after dinner with his friends in the pit before swinging by the infirmary when the thought he could get away without anyone, mainly Four, noticing where he went.

"Hey Shelly." Eric said to the nurse walking in.

"What can I help you with today stranger?" Shelly smiled as she flipped her pink and black streaked hair.

"Checking on my initiate. Wanted to see if she's going to be fit for the morning." Eric said nonchalantly as he leaned against the counter smiling.

"Oh she hasn't woken up yet, but I can show you to her, if you want." Shelly offered.

"Lead the way." He gestured with his left hand.

"Of course." Shelly led him to the back, putting a little extra sway in her hips than she normally used.

"Thanks. I'll be out in a few minutes. I'm gonna read her chart so I can put a few notes in my file." Eric smiled once more as he grabbed the chart and took a seat in on the nurse's stool.

Once the room was clear, he slid the rolling stool next to her, and pushed her hair from her face. He then ran his fingers over her hand a few times before flipping it over and made the symbol of dauntless on her palm before standing up and making his way to his apartment.

Eric had company outside his door when he got back. "Hey Eric. Haven't seen you around today." Max said as he followed him inside.

"Just overseeing training, then we played ball after dinner. Same old." He told Max as he took a seat.

"We have something big going down here soon. I just want to let you know you're a part of it. A big part in a good way." Max edged in.

"Like what?" Eric said gaining lack of interest as he grabbed a bottle of water.

"Revolutionary. I know you're still caught up on the Four thing still. I just wanted you to know not to worry." Max said standing up.

"I'm not worried." Eric said, but they both knew that was a lie.

"Soon. I'll call for you soon. Be ready when I do." Max said before he left closing the door behind him. 


End file.
